You have GOT to be kidding me!

That was my reaction when I read this morning that Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Kim Johnsson has a broken hand, and could miss two weeks of playoff action.

The deep bruise that Johnsson sustained from blocking a Jamie Langenbrunner shot in the Flyers’ series-clinching victory over the Devils turned out to actually be a hairline fracture of the fourth metacarpal bone.

The player remains hopeful he can play in the second round against either Toronto or Ottawa, but GM Bob Clarke said that if the swelling doesn’t go down or the fracture widens, surgery would then be needed to put in metal pins to hold the bones in place. In that case, Johnsson would miss a minimum of two weeks.

Already without Eric Desjardins for the remainder of the playoffs, coach Ken Hitch***** plans on using winger Sami Kapanen on the blueline in the event that Johnsson can’t go. Kapanen had been forced to fill in in that capacity at various times towards the end of the regular season.

Dennis Seidenberg, whose left leg was broken in multiple places earlier in the season, is fully recovered and plans to play for the AHL’s Phantoms this week. He could be pressed into service for the parent club as the #7 defender.

Johnsson is the ninth Flyers blueliner – including those traded away – to be injured over the course of the 2003-04 campaign.